The Astronomer | Khalil Gibran

Here's a wonderful parable by the great Kahlil Gibran, from The Madman (His Parables and Poems)., From the author of the timeless masterpiece The Prophet, Written from the point of view of the "madman", an individual seemingly at odds with the world and his place within it, Gibran explores themes of human kindness, alienation, and the search for ultimate truth. This brief series is a great way to introduce yourself to Gibran's themes and the perfect primer for his later masterwork. Kahlil Gibran was a Lebanese-American writer, poet, and visual artist in the Sufi / Christian mystic tradition.

Transcript

In the shadow of the temple,

My friend and I saw a blind man sitting alone.

And my friend said,

Behold,

The wisest man of our land.

Then I left my friend and approached the blind man and greeted him.

And we conversed.

After a while I said,

Forgive my question,

But since when hast thou been blind?

From my birth,

He answered.

Said I,

And what path of wisdom followest thou?

Said he,

I am an astronomer.

Then he placed his hand upon his breast,

Saying,

I watch all these suns and moons and stars.